Dak Lak Cafe

I was craving some authentic Vietnamese coffee and decided to give Dak Lak Café (College Location) a try. I ordered 1 hot and 1 cold Vietnamese egg coffee. I can say it was the best tasting Vietnamese coffee I've ever had. The owner noticed that i had my furry friend tied up outside and offered to let my furry friend in. Honestly, I was taken away by their generosity and their drive to show up-most amount of hospitality. I will definitely be returning to try other very flavorful and alluring items on their menu. Thankyou!

We stopped by here for egg coffee which is sometimes hard to find in some cities. Both hot and iced egg coffee were very good. Would return if in town.

Ordered the rice paper salad, but found it too salty for my taste. The egg coffee wasn’t great either, but the mango shake was decent. Overall, a bit disappointing.

We came here during the week and was looking forward to trying something new. The decor was decent, but it was lacking some attention in terms of cleanliness. The menu had a ton of options however, when we ordered, only less than half was available. We explained what we were looking for: a Viet latte and an americano. The total came up to $16 for 2 small cups of coffee. Not sure why it was so expensive as we’ve been to other Vietnamese coffee places and have ordered the same for only $11-12. I can’t say the coffee was outstanding, it was nothing special, especially given the price. The service was underwhelming. Maybe we went on an off day but hopefully our next experience will be more memorable.

They should update the menu photos with new prices NOW. The price is expensive now, rice paper salad is $11 including tax, not $6.99. Also the taste of food is far removed from authentic. Washroom is dirty, lack of cleanliness. I may not come back.

My good memories here are about the specific Vietnamese food and drink flavour! The first time came and never forgot, always tried to come back by chance even though my address is far away from this store. But now all changed! The quality is getting worse. First about food, now even start to drinks and take out services issue 🙂 The food is too salty! Drinks are too lame taste! Today I came for a coconut coffee drink to take out and with tiny hopefully everything wasn't that disappointing 🙂🙂🙂And they did make me feel so ashamed of trusting them. Please don't bring a bad reputation for Vietnamese Coffee to foreigners. There's nothing to say if they update better and get bad sometimes, but the qualities have been truly awful for months past till the present. And I have no more trust in this store ever in my life!

I love their egg coffee. Definitely coming back to try other coffee. Taste verified by my Vietnamese friend.

When I returned here to eat after three years, I was disappointed. That day, I went out to eat with my sisters; we finished ordering our food at 13:01, but it has been more than 20 minutes and we have still not seen the waiter bring the food out; we were starving but had to sit and more than that we were extremely frustrated after waiting for more than 20 minutes. And I'm not sure if they cook properly in the kitchen or if it's clean, but when we finished eating, we showed signs of diarrhea, particularly me. My stomach is very sensitive, and after eating Ragu beef, I experienced chills, stomachache, and vomiting. I went to the toilet once, but then I felt really bad, and when I got home, I was lying on my bed because I had overthrown a meal. This was my third visit, but I was completely disappointed this time. Both my sisters ordered two beef steaks, but the beef was tough to eat, and there was less topping than the previous time I ate. In general, we only liked the drink part that time, and the rest was nothing special to me. These are my honest reviews, not meant to incite conflict because everyone's tastes differ, so if you enjoy this restaurant, please continue to eat there and support the owner. And I hope the restaurant can change the food and food safety in the kitchen to avoid everyone getting diarrhea. Thank you for taking the time to read my comment.

I was craving some authentic Vietnamese coffee and decided to give Dak Lak Café (College Location) a try. I ordered 1 hot and 1 cold Vietnamese egg coffee. I can say it was the best tasting Vietnamese coffee I've ever had. The owner noticed that i had my furry friend tied up outside and offered to let my furry friend in. Honestly, I was taken away by their generosity and their drive to show up-most amount of hospitality. I will definitely be returning to try other very flavorful and alluring items on their menu. Thankyou!

We stopped by here for egg coffee which is sometimes hard to find in some cities. Both hot and iced egg coffee were very good. Would return if in town.

Ordered the rice paper salad, but found it too salty for my taste. The egg coffee wasn’t great either, but the mango shake was decent. Overall, a bit disappointing.

We came here during the week and was looking forward to trying something new. The decor was decent, but it was lacking some attention in terms of cleanliness. The menu had a ton of options however, when we ordered, only less than half was available. We explained what we were looking for: a Viet latte and an americano. The total came up to $16 for 2 small cups of coffee. Not sure why it was so expensive as we’ve been to other Vietnamese coffee places and have ordered the same for only $11-12. I can’t say the coffee was outstanding, it was nothing special, especially given the price. The service was underwhelming. Maybe we went on an off day but hopefully our next experience will be more memorable.

They should update the menu photos with new prices NOW. The price is expensive now, rice paper salad is $11 including tax, not $6.99. Also the taste of food is far removed from authentic. Washroom is dirty, lack of cleanliness. I may not come back.

My good memories here are about the specific Vietnamese food and drink flavour! The first time came and never forgot, always tried to come back by chance even though my address is far away from this store. But now all changed! The quality is getting worse. First about food, now even start to drinks and take out services issue 🙂 The food is too salty! Drinks are too lame taste! Today I came for a coconut coffee drink to take out and with tiny hopefully everything wasn't that disappointing 🙂🙂🙂And they did make me feel so ashamed of trusting them. Please don't bring a bad reputation for Vietnamese Coffee to foreigners. There's nothing to say if they update better and get bad sometimes, but the qualities have been truly awful for months past till the present. And I have no more trust in this store ever in my life!

I love their egg coffee. Definitely coming back to try other coffee. Taste verified by my Vietnamese friend.

When I returned here to eat after three years, I was disappointed. That day, I went out to eat with my sisters; we finished ordering our food at 13:01, but it has been more than 20 minutes and we have still not seen the waiter bring the food out; we were starving but had to sit and more than that we were extremely frustrated after waiting for more than 20 minutes. And I'm not sure if they cook properly in the kitchen or if it's clean, but when we finished eating, we showed signs of diarrhea, particularly me. My stomach is very sensitive, and after eating Ragu beef, I experienced chills, stomachache, and vomiting. I went to the toilet once, but then I felt really bad, and when I got home, I was lying on my bed because I had overthrown a meal. This was my third visit, but I was completely disappointed this time. Both my sisters ordered two beef steaks, but the beef was tough to eat, and there was less topping than the previous time I ate. In general, we only liked the drink part that time, and the rest was nothing special to me. These are my honest reviews, not meant to incite conflict because everyone's tastes differ, so if you enjoy this restaurant, please continue to eat there and support the owner. And I hope the restaurant can change the food and food safety in the kitchen to avoid everyone getting diarrhea. Thank you for taking the time to read my comment.

Made a pit stop for a quick snack before an event and ordered a banh mi sandwich. There was one staff manning the till and making orders, but he was very efficient. The sandwich was good with a balance between the veggies and the meat. Not much choice in non-caffeinated drinks. On a Sunday afternoon, it was super quiet with a handful of patrons on their laptops and one couple chatting. The place could use some updating as it is starting to look worn around the edges (posted menu is scribbled up, tables are uneven and decor is worn). Otherwise a okay place to take a break.

I went here with my mom during peak finals season. I was surprised no one else was there. Their Vietnamese coffee was so good and their sandwiches were so fresh! The service was really good and the guy was so nice to my mom. The ambience is good--wifi is really strong so it's good for studying.

Came here on a Monday afternoon to get some studying done and loved the atmosphere! I got the original sandwich and iced coffee, both of which were delicious. The banh mi was flavourful, and the bread was crunchy but not too hard. The ice coffee was strong but not overly bitter. The food was also reasonably priced. The service was also great, and I appreciated the server bringing the food out to my table. There are some board games in the back, a claw machine and viet lofi music playing. Overall, a great spot to study or catch up with friends in Chinatown!

Really disappointed in their Vietnamese Iced Coffee with condensed milk. I had came here expecting a strong hit of traditional Vietnamese coffee but it tasted very watered down. As they were making it, I noticed they had poured the coffee out of a coffee pot that was already brewed beforehand. If you want authentic Vietnamese iced coffee, do not come here. The authentic way is with a fresh slow drip, not poured from a brewed coffee pot. I think this is the biggest difference since it tasted weak. It's not a bad iced coffee but to me if it's not the authentic Vietnamese iced coffee I'm looking for, I rather go to Starbucks and order a stronger iced coffee there instead. I notice their service is quite slow as well, however they are friendly. The cafe itself is a nice space but I don't see myself returning here for the coffee.

Such a warm and loving place. Ive been here a handful of times and I enjoy it every time. Warm lighting with plentiful seating for a café. Drinks are made very quickly and with high quality ingredients. I usually get the warm vietnamese condensed milk coffee. The perfect drink to have after walking in the cold. I come here to study and work and the employees are super accommodating to me during my stay.

Had their cococcino which is a coconut coffee blended drink and it was delicious! Had some whipped cream on top with delicious coconut shavings that added texture. It was the perfect amount of sweetness and just the right amount of coffee. Service was great!

We stopped in looking for something that wasn't a boba tea. Our drinks were all tasty. The lychee lime was the best one. The rest (peach oolong, passion fruit strawberry and Thai tea) were all a bit to sweet for our taste. However, it was obviously fresh fruit forward which was a pleasant surprise. Service was good. Ambiance was definitely not what we had expected. It's chic and hipster and definitely not a traditional Vietnamese tea/coffee shop.

We had a really bad experience with this place. My partner hadn't had egg coffee since he was in Vietnam, and seeing this got him real excited. At the time, we were not able to get it, but we did stop by and ask if it was available (it was). An hour later, we had our Uber stop so that we could run in and get it--that's when they told us they were out of eggs and needed 15 minutes to remake. Did it really sell out within an hour or could they have told us when we were there the first time? Anyway, disappointment aside, we decided not to order the egg coffee because our Uber was on the clock, so we grabbed a black Viet coffee and a cafe sua da. I almost want to say they messed up our order because my coffee did not taste like Viet black coffee, nor did my partner's taste anything like cafe sua da. Growing up in San Jose, CA, we love our Viet everything and I can say with confidence that this was the worst Viet coffee I've ever had. I couldn't even taste any condensed milk in my partner's drink; it was like our hotel coffee with cream and sugar. WTH happened? This is a highly reviewed place and vouched for by a local friend, so I was expecting more. Either way, we won't be back.

Egg foam coffee is the bomb here! I love it so much! Traditional Vietnamese coffee.

One of the only places that had egg coffee in the area and I was not disappointed. They have two options whether it be hot or cold, but the iced option was the one for my this hot sunny day. I just love how the bitterness of the coffee perfectly balanced the sweetness of the egg cream on top. Would recommend to coffee lovers or those looking for a morning boost to compliment a nice sunny day.

Incredibly friendly and attuned staff. Provided my many great recommendations and helped carefully craft the egg coffee, since it required a huge degree of delicate steps. Although the drink took around 15 minutes to craft, it was definitely worth the wait, besides, you can just walk around the surrounding food court while you wait! The egg coffee is the creamiest coffee I ever had with a hint of sweetness to bring out the flavors of the coffee. Definitely a high quality drink and I can't wait to try their many other selections! Did you know, they also have a green Thai tea *mindblown emoji* :o

I stopped in while walking down College and went in because their signage was cute. I was immediately greeted by one of their staff and was informed how to order (via mobile, on their website). I placed an order for an iced coffee and rice chips to go. Given the current policies in effect for Ontario, I had to show my COVID vaccination card and ID -- no issue there, just pointing out that I showed the staff member my New York State license and US CDC vax card before even ordering, so clearly I am American. The coffee and food were fine but nothing special. I'm only leaving two stars, though, because there was an issue when I went to pay. You pay at the register after placing your order, and they had a sign saying Cash or Debit only. I attempted to use my debit card, but it was declined because they don't take American bank cards. Strange for Toronto, but understood. The issue was that I had enough Canadian cash to cover my bill but the staff member said his boss wouldn't accept my cash because one of the $5 bills had a small tear in the corner. I have never run into either of these issues (a Toronto resto not taking US debit or refusing to take my cash). I hadn't touched my food or drink yet so I said offered to just not pay and not take the food, but they wouldn't do that, either, since the food "was already made." The customer service side was very poor. I understand they have a right to refuse my cash, but given I had no other way to pay, I felt they did absolutely nothing to try to remedy the situation. I eventually had to give them a $20 USD and not get the correct change back because they "couldn't do the exchange rate." The whole visit was very confusing and I would not visit this place again. If they aren't going to accept US debit, they should have that clearly displayed, or they should have asked me about it when they saw my US license and vax card upon entering.

Randomly was strolling around downtown one day to pop into the shop to grab a quick fresher from the hot weather. Instantly I can tell everything was very syrupy and overly sweet that was a little unappealing and a turnoff. The order did take a little bit long to be prepared but I didn't mind sitting around because they do have a very cute space and decor but the drinks were not worth it in my opinion.

This place sells not only coffee but different types of drinks such as bubble tea, tea, and even durian milk ! They also serve Vietnamese food. I like the decor inside and they even have a machine where you can try to pick up plushies. Service is nice and friendly. The people taking my order and preparing the meal were speaking Vietnamese so this is legit. I got the egg coffee which reminded me of my trip to Vietnam. It was nice and thick up top and in the end (with the final last drops), I got some kind of peanut aftertaste which I thought was interesting and good. I also tried a banh mi which was made to order and very good. You can ask for it to be spicy if you want. Their mango salad was delicious too (and made to order). I would definitely come back for drinks and food. At the moment, unfortunately, some of their meals are not available as it's for sit in only.

Coffee Dak Lak is a small Vietnamese cafe found at the intersection of College and Spadina. My friends always raved about this place, so I just had to try it out. I ordered a Cafe Sua Da (Vietnamese ice coffee) and a classic Banh Mi. For one, the Cafe Sua Da is actually pretty good. For once, it's not one of those Vietnamese coffees that are filled with 90% ice and 10% coffee. It's supposed to be cold but it does not require that much ice. This Vietnamese coffee maybe had a ratio of 60% ice 40% coffee. Still not the best, but better than most places. The Banh Mi was just a classic Vietnamese sandwich, filled with Vietnamese cold cuts, pickled vegetables etc. The bread which is the main component of the sandwich (obviously), was pretty solid. Not amazing bread, but nice, warm and crispy. The only downside of this sandwich was when asked for spicy, they added Sriracha instead of fresh chillies which kind of overwhelms the other flavours of the sandwich. All in all, it's a solid cafe. They even have a featured special called Vietnamese egg coffee which I will definitely have to come back one day to try.

It's a really nice place, really cute. The service was nice and the staff is friendly. I would definitely go back and try there food. We had the egg coffee and mango tea

A new addition to Spadina/College! Located right from the corner, this cafe is so new that it's still very quiet - a perfect gem for those who work from home or want to study in a more quiet environment. Dak Lak is not just any cafe though, it serves one of the best Vietnamese coffees and what I love about it most is that they specialize in it - no more pho joints for my coffee fix! The cafe is also very accessible so it's accommodating to all people. I've been twice since they opened and each time ordered an iced Vietnamese coffee. Let me tell you, their brew is strong! Either that or I'm just really sensitive to Vietnamese beans. The first time I ordered a large, and I was still jittery hours later. I ordered a croissant to try to ease it but nothing could curb my caffeine high. The second time, I thought I was being smart and ordered the regular size - slightly less jittery but still enough to feel the after effects in the evening. I'd still order their iced coffee - just earlier in the day :)

Tried the egg ice coffee and chef special banh mi. The ice coffee was fantastic. Strong coffee taste. Egg was different. Chef special cheese beef banh mi was a miss. It's like thousand Island dressing, beef tendon, and processed cheese. I recommend trying anything else on the menu.

Look no more for your source for delicious coffee. My go to is the iced condensed milk coffee, it's strong coffee flavor mixed in w a creamy sweetness is an instant pick me up. 5% off with cash payment too!

(3.5 stars) I wish I had a better experience with this place. I came here to buy myself some time before meeting my sister and wanted to warm up somewhere so I went here. I ordered the classic Vietnamese iced coffee and I started to notice at around 25 minutes they seem to forget my order since I saw other people who ordered after me already got their drinks to-go. So at 30 minutes I went to ask about my order and they said they forgot about it and will start on my drink ASAP. The employee then came over with the hot version of the coffee which wasn't what I ordered and so she had to remake it. Coffee gave a strong kick, as expected of Vietnamese coffees. Maybe I will come back one day and hopefully my experience will be alittle different.

Courteous, all smiles and generously allowing you to enjoy your moments catching up, eventhough all you ordered was just a cup of Vietnamese drip coffee. I like how they serve the condensed milk separately, so you can add how sweet you like on your own too. Happy that they opened up a downtown location.

The viet coffee I think would benefit from being freshly brewed. The menu is so interesting that it begs for multiple visits. I will be back to try the egg coffee. This place is a super interesting and unique place in this neighborhood that must be visited.

Never have I tasted the worst Vietnamese coffee in world! Quite an insult to what is normally expected from a traditional Vietnamese coffee - strong and freshly brewed. Who would want to pay $6 for a watered coffee?

I happened upon this place while I was at Spadina and College. I got an iced Vietnamese Condensed Milk Coffee, The people who worked here were a little bit off putting to be honest. Also the coffee wasn't really great. I have had Vietnamese Condensed milk coffee a number of times and the texture, sweetness and flavour was just off compared to what I was expecting to get. I was expecting something thicker. It was good but not quite what I expected in Ca Phe Sua Da.

Came here with a friend after we'd been talking about getting Viet coffee for a while and this place was great. It's a narrow little cafe with a cool kind of vibe - perfect to catch up with friends or even get some work or studying done. All the seats along the main wall were taken when we got there but we were able to find a table at the back which was just as good. They have a wide variety of drinks to choose from but we both ordered the hot Viet coffee. It was pretty strong but the condensed milk made it into a rich, delicious, almost dessert-like drink. We didn't get a chance to look at the food menu but the drink prices ranged from about $3-$5. Would definitely come back for their coffee and might try some of the food next time!

Medium and large are the same size, however you pay a dollar more (4-5). Coffee is not strong at all and incredibly watered down. The wait time was around 30 minutes for 3 drinks (1x lemon tea, 2x Vietnamese iced coffee) which is ridiculous considering how the store was not too busy.

I waited for the chance to visit the new location. Today I had the egg coffee and multi grain. I really enjoyed the egg coffee and the multi grain was on par. Service was pleasant. The place looks like great. Internet clocked in 150/10 and there are a couple power outlets. Right now there are about 7 tables and some bench seating. Good addition to this stretch of College.

I expected this Vietnamese coffee to be inherently strong and give u that caffeine jolt. Sad to say, the coffee we ordered (egg coffee, iced coffe & coffee with condensed milk) was watered down probably the 3rd time already. Yes, it tasted like tea w coffee in it. Better go to any Tim Horton shop around.

The environment is nice. It is a good place for chilling, meeting with friends or discussing homework:) We didn't have time so we just ordered the first item on the menu to go - condensed milk coffee, cold, medium size. Taste exactly like the instant coffee I bought in a supermarket in Chinatown - OldTown White Coffee from Malaysia...

I hadn't planned on coming here, but I did come because it was close to a restaurant for which I was waiting. I came here and got a roast pork sandwich, and I sat down to wait for it. It came out quickly, and it was surprisingly tasty! The bread was really soft inside and crunchy outside, and the meat was really flavorful. I was pleasantly surprised. There's also wifi, and there's plenty of space to hang out, get some work done, or chat. I would recommend it!

Sooo this is an extremely cool and cozy joint serving everything Vietnamese and of course their specialty Vietnamese Iced Coffee..great ambiance on the inside and really positive energy...can't wait to be back here again..

Service is great here! Owner is really nice and the atmosphere and coffee here is delicious! I especially love the banh mi here tastes great!

Probably the best Taro Milk Tea I've ever had in my life. Delicious Viet coffee too. Heavily recommended

I came here to try their Vietnamese egg coffee but instead ordered a Thai milk tea and Banh mi sandwich. Both were really good even though the sandwich came in small proportion. This place is clean and modern, with a real "coffee shop" atmosphere. Prices are fair (combo deals) and service is great! I would normally rate it a 4/5 stars but will give 5 stars for the uniqueness of its menu. 100% would recommend, it's a cool place!

Love the egg coffee! It's creamier and richer than a normal cappuccino. Definitely a different way of drinking coffee. Highly recommend trying the egg coffee!

This brought us right back to South East Asia, especially the Thai Iced Tea. We have tried many times to make Thai Iced Tea at home. It always turns out good, but not great. We can never really get that bold depth of flavour from the tea to shine through the heavy condensed milk. Finally, we've found a place that does it perfectly. Can't wait to be back to try their other drinks!

Coffee Dak Lak has a new location and it's conveniently located close to UofT! It makes for the perfect study spot: it's cozy, the interior is lovely, and the coffee is strong! I tried the Vietnamese egg coffee and its taste really did resemble liquid tiramisu! I usually don't have sugar in my coffee so this was just the right amount of sweetness for me. Of course, they also have Vietnamese coffee which is stronger than your average cup of joe so they add condensed milk to balance out the taste. Yummy! Their drink menu also consists of teas and lattes and they have an extensive food menu consisting of pastries, toasts, banh mis and sandwiches, and even some salad options!

Matcha Vietnamese coffee was amazing! Will have to go back to try their other items! This place was better than the one in Pacific Mall

Newly opened Vietnamese coffee and dessert place. Must try condensed milk coffee. It's strong, but with he addition of condensed milk, the taste is slightly bitter and rich, and delicious. If coffee is not for you, they have tea, fruity drinks and other selections. The place also have desserts and sandwiches. There are some seating areas and the interior decor is homey and inviting. The staff are Vietnamese, so they know what they are making and are extremely nice. Would come again with friends for a chill time.

Really enjoyed the hot Thai milk tea. On the day they opened I happened to be walking by in the area and sat down to read a book and warm up on a cold winter night . The staff were really friendly and attentive , making sure the lighting was good for me to read and that I was comfortable. The tea itself was not too sweet. Would return to try the actual vietnamese coffee

Lovely venue with a good amount of seating, optimized for groups of one or two! I can imagine it being a great space for solo studying. Food was great, I really enjoyed my mango salad and Thai milk tea. Staff were kind and seemed really happy :)

Really enjoyed this space. Good selection of drinks and food and your music is great to get work done! It's not too big that it gets too rowdy or too small that it's impossible to find seats. I had their peach tea and Viet coffee. Both were solid . Will definitely come back here.

Literally one of favourite coffee spots, mainly because it reminds me of home and their egg coffee is to DIE for!!

This is a nice addition to the area. There are not many cafes specializing in Vietnamese coffee in this area so it's nice to see this cafe open here. The ambience is nice. I like the decor of the cafe. It is a nice environment to get a coffee to catch up with friends. However I don't think it's the best place to do work/study because the cafe is quite small, so you would likely hear other customers or the barista. Coffee: I got their iced coffee and thought it was okay. It was an average quality coffee. I won't say they serve top notch coffee but they serve decent coffee.

Visited here two summers ago and still reminiscing about the incredible coffees my sister and I got. We made a second trip the day we left to grab another round. Can't find anything close to this in Oregon. Can't wait to patronize this shop again next year!

Searched for coffee while wandering around china town. Amazing Vietnamese coffee. Perfect amount of strong coffee with a little bit of sweet to it. Had the coconut blended coffee and my sister had iced Vietnamese coffee. Both were incredible.

I was very tired after long driver and looking for a best place for refreshment. Finally got this coffe shop. Take coffe and became fresh. Its my favorite shop. I used to come there regularly.

Delicious egg coffee and waffle had it at the downtown location but also enjoyed strong viet coffee at pacific mall

A special coffee spot for coffee lover. There is also Thai tea special sold here. Must come to try.